Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 40
षडंगयोगान्नहि तादृशी नृभिः शरीरसिद्धिः सहसात्र लभ्यते । सुखेन काशीं समवाप्य यादृशीदृशौ स्थिरीकृत्य शिव त्वयि क्षणम्
ṣaḍaṃgayogānnahi tādṛśī nṛbhiḥ śarīrasiddhiḥ sahasātra labhyate | sukhena kāśīṃ samavāpya yādṛśīdṛśau sthirīkṛtya śiva tvayi kṣaṇam
Par le yoga aux six membres, une telle réalisation n’est pas vite acquise par les hommes ici-bas. Mais en parvenant aisément à Kāśī et en fixant les yeux ne fût-ce qu’un instant sur toi, ô Śiva, on obtient cette même perfection.
Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda to Agastya)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Ṛṣis/assembly of listeners
Scene: A pilgrim reaches Kāśī and, amid temple spires and ghāṭas, fixes an unwavering gaze on Śiva for a single moment; the aura suggests instant inner perfection surpassing arduous yogic practice.
FAQs
Kāśī makes difficult yogic attainments accessible through simple pilgrimage and Śiva-darśana.
Kāśī, as the place where even momentary focus on Śiva yields extraordinary fruit.
Darśana and dhyāna are implied: reach Kāśī and fix one’s gaze/mind on Śiva even briefly.